I wish I could say I’m on a good pace, but in reality I do not feel it that way. On the other hand I’m pushing 5 sets of the opposite lift, so fatigue could play a role.
I think you’ve been pushing more reps almost every workout lately, that is very rewarding to do, when you go in an knows you have a number to beat.
Do you think you’ve build muscles from this DC journey of yours?
If fatigue is an issue, are somewhat longer rest periods a solution? One thing I like about BB training is that the rests are shorter, more similar to what I’m used to in an athletic context (timer always ticking down etc.)
My reading of vets like @EyeDentist tells me to be modest when it comes to muscle gains after 50. But one thing I’ve definitely done better is maintain a higher weight compared to the last time I tried to add muscle. I’m pumping up the cardio this week and next to try and lean out ahead of the Transformation and hopefully, look like I’ve made some gains.
SATURDAY
BW: 155.8 lbs
waist: 33 1/4"
Cardio / Conditioning Day
My weekend conditioning routine is based on TC Luoma’s article in T-Nation article about using KB snatches as a fat-burning tool. http(s)://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-the-absolute-best-way-to-burn-calories
I’ve got two different versions: one based on the original article, and a second that cuts the time in half but ups the intensity a bit. Today I did the original version.
Conditioning
DB swings @ 25 lbs
Six one-arm DB swings (right arm)
15 seconds rest
Six one-arm DB swings (left arm)
15 seconds rest
20 minutes / 44 total sets / 264 reps
plus
Cardio
Incline treadmill walk
2.25 miles / 317 calories / 38:01 minutes
Looking to burn 500 calories on Saturday and Sunday to get ready for the Transformation finale and a transition to metcom work over the summer. Using a shot of HIIT and a LSD steady state chaser to to get it done. Will do the 10 minutes swings / 50 minutes LSD version tomorrow.
Side note on #UFCFL tonight. I continue to be impressed by the physiques of Chinese athletes: first their weightlifters, now their MMA fighters. I would love to learn more about the thinking of some of these Chinese trainers who seem to emphasize at least a certain measure of bodybuilding in athletic training.
Top movements that are working right now with garage gym equipment:
Chest: Dips
Shoulders: DB high pulls with external rotation
Triceps: DB overhead extension
Back width: Weighted wide-grip pronated pullups
Back thickness: DB rows
Biceps: Weighted close-grip supinated chins
Forearms: Pinwheel curls
Calves: Standing calf raises
Hams/Glues: DB RDLs
Quads: DB split squats
SUNDAY
BW: 156.6 lbs
waist: 33 3/4"
Cardio / Conditioning Day
Version 2 of the TC Luoma KB Snatch workout mentioned yesterday.
Conditioning
DB swings @ 25 lbs
Six one-arm DB swings (right arm)
Six one-arm DB swings (left arm)
15 seconds rest
10+ minutes / 16 total sets / 192 total reps
plus
Cardio
Incline treadmill walk
3.0 miles / 407 calories / 49:20 minutes
MONDAY
BW: 156 lbs
waist: 33 1/2"
DC by DB “A” Block v3
Warmup
Incline treadmill walk
0.5 miles / 55 calories / 9:09 minutes
Chest
Dips
BW (SS) 2 sets of 8
BW+25 lbs (RP) 15 + 5 + 3 = 23 reps
+2 over last session
Shoulders / Rear delts
Green band pull aparts (SS) 3 sets of 25
Rear delt laterals 10s (SS) 30, 20, 10
25s (SS) 15, 10, 5
I feel like I’m gaining some work capacity here. Will put that to work in the next cycle.
Triceps
DB overhead extensions
10s (SS) 2 sets of 25
25s (RP) 11 + 4 + 3 = 18 reps
equal to last session (10 + 4 + 4)
Back width
DB pullovers
10s (SS) 2 sets of 25
25s (RP) 20 + 10 + 8 = 38 reps
+1 over last session
Back thickness
Seated horizontal rows
Big red band (SS) 3 sets of 30
Same sets and reps as last week. All about the intensity of the contraction/iso hold with these.
Good session to start the week. Starting to get tough to beat the previous sessions; no fails today, but a tie, a win by 1, and a win by 2 are cutting it pretty close.
May be a sign that it’s time to switch to something else for a little while. That’s the plan, at least, after this week.
One intensification technique I’m doing with the high rep band sets is choking up on the grip until the set breaks. That and iso holds are really bringing out the best in the band work.
Reading some data on COVID-19 transmission in fitness centers in South Korea is sobering. “Vigorous exercise in enclosed spaces is risky, even in small groups.” I would love to have a clear training “flight plan” into the end of the year. Starting to think it may be garage gym until 2021.
Cardio tomorrow. My game is to pull the calories back bigly on Tuesdays and Thursdays (BJJ days), but I haven’t been doing a good job of it peri-COVID. There’s probably 4-5 pounds of weight worth losing if I can get this done.
Well you’re beating it by 1 or 2 reps, that’s pretty good, the first couple of times it’s just adapting to the movement. 1 rep - 2 reps that’s becoming stronger. If you get 1 rep more every time then after 10 workouts you’re doing a lot more reps and you’ve become much stronger.
But you’re switching to something different deliberately and planned and not because you don’t feel you get stronger.
TUESDAY
BW: 156 lbs
waist: 33 1/4"
Cardio / Conditioning Day
Incline treadmill walk
2+ miles / 254 calories / 36 minutes
This week starts the “Eight Weeks Out” from the local BJJ tournament in July that in all likelihood will not take place. But since I like to orient my training around the jiu-jitsu competition calendar whether I’m competing or not, I’ve started my 2x/week, BJJ video/film study.
I kicked things off both light and high-level with Riccardo Ammendolia’s recent interview with jiu-jitsu all-time great, Roger Gracie. Here the focus was on the primary importance of the mind and the will to win. Interestingly, not only did Roger cite this as the number one factor in his success, he also said that he was convinced it was the number one reason behind Gordon Ryan (the contemporary #1 guy) and his success, as well.
I’ve never heard a good explanation of the connection between “will” or “the power of the mind” and superior performance - and didn’t hear one from Roger either. But listening to and thinking about his take did help me continue to develop my own understanding of how intentionality and familiarity help forge the link between will and constructive action.
DC by DB “B” Block v. 3 tomorrow. Goblet curls, neutral grip weighted chins, toe extensions, band leg curls, and back squats.
Working on my Garage Gym Summer Circuits program.
Monday
Incline DB press / DB rows superset
+
DB high pulls
Wednesday
DB swings / Chins superset
+
Pinwheel curls
Friday
Goblet squat / Dips superset
+
DB overhead triceps extension
Progression for supersets
First 8 Weeks 2 minutes rest btw sets
Second 8 weeks: 90 seconds rest btw sets
Week One: 4 x 10
4 x 11
4 x 12
5 x 10
6 x 9
7 x 8
6 x 10
Week Eight: 7 x 9
Average sets/reps: 5.3/9.8
With the accessory work (high pulls, Pinwheels, tricep extensions) I’m thinking 1-2 sets of warmup reps (25), then one max rep set or rest-pause.
I agree. I think it’s a nice example of the timing of things working out almost perfectly. I’ve enjoyed this makeshift bodybuilding program and, COVID depending, I may be returning to it in September.
But for now, I’m looking forward to transitioning to circuit style “field work” training next week.
WEDNESDAY
BW: 156.6 lbs
waist: 33 1/2"
My time management was totally absent on my day off (more mandatory vacation day purging), so I ended up doing some cardio rather than training. Truth told, I’m a little anxious about my weight/waistline, so I took advantage of the chaos to move things around a bit and get some extra cardio in.
Cardio
Incline treadmill walk
2.0 miles / 230 calories / 35 minutes
I’ll do my regularly-scheduled cardio/conditioning routine tomorrow, and my final DC by DB workout to wrap up this nine-week blast on Friday.
THURSDAY
BW: 156 lbs
waist: 33 1/4"
Cardio
Incline treadmill walk
2.5 miles / 320 calories / 42 minutes
Final day of the DC by DB blast tomorrow. Goblet curls, neutral grip chins, toe extensions, band leg curls, and DB back squats FTW.
Heading toward the final week of the Transformation heavier than I’d like to be. If I’m 154.6 by Saturday morning, I think I can make a decent run on 152 for the Finale photograph.
FRIDAY
BW: 155.2 lbs
waist: 33 1/4"
DC by DB “B” Block v.3
Warmup
Incline treadmill walk
1.0 miles / 116 calories / 18 minutes
Biceps
Goblet curls
10 lbs 2 sets of 25
25 lbs 2 sets of 25
45 lbs (RP) 15 + 9 + 8 = 32
Will add these to my routine as a new biceps exercise next blast.
Forearms / Brachialis
Neutral grip chins
BW 2 sets of 8
BW+25 lbs (RP) 8 + 4 + 3 = 15 reps
Hard work to top last session by 1.
Calves
Standing incline calf raises
BW 3 sets of 25
Hams/Glutes
Seated leg curls
Big red band 3 sets of 25
Quads
Back squat
45s 1 set of 50
Last session required two sets (30 + 20)
That’s a wrap for my first blast of DC Training (sort of). I’ll probably write up a few thoughts on the past nine weeks - though it wouldn’t really qualify as a review of DC training since there were many ways in which I didn’t follow the protocol (i.e., protein overloading and heavy weight).
What I did rely on was a lot of rest pause work, isometric holds, and high reps where they seemed more likely to get the stimulus than the other two methods. I did an OK job on the stretching, but could do much better (same with the carb cutoffs at night).
Going to give it some thought over the weekend, but the current plan is to spend some time increasing work capacity and leaning out a bit via circuits before returning to another DC blast. My BF is somewhere between 15% and 18%, at best; I’d like to take 2-3% off that before hopping back on the Gainz Train.
Is that doing a goblet squat combined with a curl?
Looking forward to the writeup BTT
You hold the dumbbell the same way as a goblet squat, with cupped hands, and then curl. The goal is to keep your wrists closer to you than your knuckles by keep your hands flat (or cupped) as you curl. It’s a move I saw the AthleanX guy do awhile back. I was looking to add a bicep curl variation given my limited access to equipment these days, and remembered that one.
SATURDAY
BW: 154.6 lbs
waist: 33 1/4"
Cheated a bit by doing weigh-in after morning conditioning and cardio, but seems like it was worth it to hit my weight target to the tenth. Hoping to lop off another two pounds / kilo by this time next week.
Conditioning
DB swings @ 25 lbs
Six one-arm DB swings (right arm)
Rest 15 seconds
Six one-arm DB swings (left arm)
30 minutes / 60 6-rep sets / 360 total reps
plus
Cardio
Incline treadmill walk
2.0 miles / 275 calories / 33:21 minutes
SUNDAY
BW: 155 lbs
waist: 33 1/4"
Conditioning
DB swings @ 25 lbs
Six one-arm DB swings (right arm)
Six one-arm DB swings (left arm)
Rest 15 seconds
20 minutes / 27 12-rep sets / 324 total reps
MONDAY
BW: 155.8 lbs
waist: 33 1/8"
I’ve hit this 1/8th mark before. Didn’t want to be so precise, but given this is my deload/cutting week ahead of the Transformation Finale, I’m going to track every eighth through Friday.
Cardio
Incline treadmill walk
3.0 miles / 363 calories / 52:02 minutes
Also working on my June/July training schedule. Haven’t decided specifically on the program - other than I’ll run it 3x/week on MWF for consistency. One idea is to do something Vince Gironda-ish …
Week One/Two: 15 sets of 4 / 15 seconds rest
Week Three/Four: 10 sets of 6 / 30 seconds rest
Week Five/Six: 8 sets of 8 / 45 seconds rest
Week Seven/Eight: 6 sets of 10 / 60 seconds rest
… with the below “Best in Breed” of my garage gym exercises. One body part per workout. Probably ABA BAB so as to hit everything three times every two weeks.
A Block
Dips
DB high pulls with external rotation
DB overhead extension
Weighted wide-grip pronated pullups
DB rows
B Block
Weighted close-grip supinated chins
Pinwheel curls
Goblet squats
DB RDLs
DB split squats
TUESDAY
BW: 156.8 lbs
waist: 33"
Not a sustainable combination of measurements, IMO. We’ll see over the next day or two which is the true indicator of my near-term destination.
Cardio
Incline treadmill walk
3.0 miles / 395 calories / 51:07 minutes
WEDNESDAY
BW: 155.8 lbs
waist: 33 1/2"
Good grief. I guess I asked for that …
Cardio
Incline treadmill walk
2.0 miles / 282 calories / 34:02 minutes